Thermostat light



Nov. 14, 1961 A. J. BITTROLFF 3,009,051

THERMOSTAT LIGHT Filed March 6, 1959 Fig.4

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United States Patent 3,009,051 TI-IERMOSTAT LIGHT August J. Bittrollf, Oak Ridge, NJ. Filed Mar. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 797,776 2 Claims. (Cl. 240-2.1)

This invention relates to a device for providing illumination on a thermostat or other control enabling a person to inspect or set the thermostat without the necessity of using a room light.

An object of the invention is to provide a very simple device adapted to be mounted adjacent to a control, for example, a thermostat, to furnish illumination on the control. The device contains a source of electrical potential, for example, a battery, together with a lamp and unique means for exercising a switch function between the battery and the lamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide a neat, self-contained illuminating device capable of being mounted very easily adjacent to a control, whereby the user may close a normally open switch for as long a period of time as required to either set the thermostat, inspect the thermometer thereof or both.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a device showing the preferred environment.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the structure in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1, the thermostat being omitted.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan View of the device in FIGURE 3.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown a control, for instance a thermostat to show the principal, although not exclusive purpose of the device 12. The device 12 furnishes illumination on the thermostat 10 enabling the user of the device to inspect the thermostat or adjust it without having to use the room illumination. structurally, device 12 is quite simple, being composed of a housing 14 having an upper wall 16, side walls 18 and 20, a lower Wall 22 and a front wall 24. The front wall '24 has a slanted upper portion 26 in which there is an aperture 28 through which switch operating shank 30 is movable. Lower wall 22 is composed of three panels 34, 36 and 38 joined together at adjacent edges thereof. The front edge of panel 38 fits flush against the inner surface of front wall 24, and the side edges of panels 36 and 38 are attached to the inner surfaces of housing sides 18 and 20. A downwardly directed light reflector 40 is provided in panel 38, and there is a spring 42 attached to the inner part of the reflector and constituting a socket by which to support light bulb 44.

Panel 34 is adapted to fit flush against the same wall on which thermostat 10 is mounted, and a portion of the panel 34 may be slipped behind or on the sides of the thermostat to support the device 12. If this is not practical or if this does not furnish enough support, the apertures 46 and 48 may be used to receive fasteners, for example screws, by which to secure panel 34 to the wall on which the thermostat 10 is mounted.

Battery 50 is removably disposed in a battery clip 52, and the latter is secured to the inner surface of panel 36. The battery clip has a bottom wall 54 from which a plurality of spring fingers 56 extend to form a cradle which frictionally grips and holds battery 50. A rear finger 58 is attached to the lowermost edge of the bottom 54 of the battery clip 52, and it functions as a stop by which to support the battery 50.

The switch 60 is operatively connected to the battery 50 and the light bulb 44. The switch 60 is of special construction, consisting of a spring metal plate 62 attached at its inner end to shank 30 and normally retained in a position at which a portion of the plate 62 contacts the center contact of the light bulb 44. Push button 64 is secured to the outer end of shank 30 and is located on the exterior of the housing 14. By pushing the push button 64 spring switch plate 62 is yieldingly deflected since it is made of spring material, and it comes in contact with the center pole 51 of battery 50. This completes one portion of the circuit for illuminating the light bulb 44. The circuit is completed by the conductive path established by spring 42, reflector 40, wall 22, battery clip 52 and the conductive casing or bottom only of the casing (when the insulated cover is allowed to remain on the battery 50).

As seen best in FIGURES 2 and 3, reflector 40 is disposed in a rearwardly inclined plane so that the light rays from the light bulb 42 are directed downwardly and rearwardly toward the thermostat to make certain that the illumination is directed where it is most needed on the thermostat 10. Further, the light bulb is positioned horizontally forwardly from the panel 34, this further positioning the light bulb 44 so that the light rays therefrom will be properly directed to illuminate the thermostat 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A device to illuminate a control such as a thermostat, said device comprising a housing having an upper wall, side Walls and a lower wall, a light reflector carried by said lower wall, said light reflector having a socket in alignment therewith, a light bulb provided in said socket and including a contact portion, a battery clip carried by said housing and to support a battery, a normally open switch including a spring metal plate in engagement with said contact portion of the light bulb, means connected to said spring metal plate for deforming said spring metal plate to bring another portion thereof in engagement with a portion of said battery, mounting means for said housing connected to said housing and depending from the side walls of said housing, said mounting means being adapted to support the housing adjacent to thermostat with said light reflector and the bulb arranged to direct light rays on to the thermostat, a portion of said lower wall of said housing consisting of an angulated panel, said battery clip being attached to said angulated panel to position the battery along side of said socket and in the path of travel of said spring metal plate.

2. The combination of a vertically elongated wall mounted thermostat, and illuminating means therefor, said illuminating means comprising a housing having a pair of spaced side walls, a top wall, a front wall, a rearwardly inclined first bottom wall portion extending from the lower edge of said front wall, a second bottom Wall portion extending rearwardly and downwardly from the rear edge of the first bottom wall portion, a vertical mounting plate extending downwardly from the rear edge of said second bottom wall portion and disposed exteriorly of and below said housing, said mounting plate being interposed between the upper end portion only of said thermostat and a wall having the thermostat mounted thereon whereby to retain said housing in position above the thermostat, said first bottom wall portion of said housing being provided with an opening, a reflector and a. lamp socket mounted on said first bottom wall portion in register with said opening and disposed within said housing, a lamp bulb provided in said socket, a battery mounted on the second bottom wall portion in said housing, and switch means manipulable from the exterior of the housing for electrically connecting said battery to said bulb, the inclined disposition of said first bottom wall portion causing light rays from said bulb to be oriented rearwardly and downwardly on said thermostat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Krehbiel Apr. 20, 1926 Menasco July 24, 1928 Goldin July 25, 1939 Quan Feb. 26, 1946 Swanson Nov. 7, 1950 Krug June 26, 1951 Olson Jan. 4, 1953 Wells Jan. 24, 1956 Hermeyer, et al. Jan. 29, 1957 

